Godfather Owl: Guardian of Batman [72]
Clang!
The clash rang out like thunder, and Deathstroke was forced back dozens of meters.
Bruce's gaze was steely as he raised Mjolnir high.
In an instant, lightning tore through the sky.
A blinding bolt cleaved the heavens like the blade of a god, slicing through the darkness. A moment later, deafening thunder followed, roaring like a beast and shaking the earth.
Bruce would not lose.
With a tenfold power boost and the strength of Thor, his chances of victory were now one thousand percent.
Lightning surged wildly, streaking across the sky in arcs.
As the thunder boomed, rain poured down in torrents, as if the heavens were unleashing all their wrath.
Each raindrop was charged with the force of thunder, pounding down onto the ground—and onto the battered Deathstroke.
Deathstroke's armor could no longer withstand the onslaught, and he struggled to raise the Sword in the Stone above his head to draw in the lightning.
But it was only a temporary measure; he was certain to lose if this continued!
Why? Why couldn't he defeat a mere twelve-year-old Batman?!
Humiliation and fury swallowed Deathstroke, his gaze becoming violent and unhinged.
The serum's flaw now showed itself as Deathstroke's feral instincts took over, much like what had happened to Wolverine earlier.
If there was no hope in sight, he would carve it out himself!
"Ahhh!!!"
Deathstroke roared, charging at Bruce, the Sword in the Stone brimming with killing intent, the power of the gods beginning to awaken within it.
Bruce felt the pressure bearing down but had no intention of backing away.
He swung Mjolnir, meeting Deathstroke head-on.
Boom!
The clash of godly forces repelled everything nearby, even the clouds above, leaving a gaping hole in the storm.
Mjolnir, in Bruce's hand, suddenly shattered.
This clash had exceeded the limits of what it could endure.
Deathstroke's single eye widened, a flash of excitement in it.
He had won—
Or had he?
No! This couldn't be!
Deathstroke watched in shock as the shattered fragments of Mjolnir hung suspended in the air, defying the laws of physics.
Each piece glowed with lightning, connected by arcs of electricity, and the broken hammer remained whole.
Mjolnir might break one day, but that day was not today.
Whip!
Bruce said nothing, but he put all his strength into a sudden swing, holding nothing back!
The fragments of Mjolnir, bound by electric arcs, formed a long whip that could pierce the heavens and earth, descending upon Deathstroke with an aura of utter destruction.
Deathstroke could not evade; he could only watch as his vision was overtaken by lightning.
Crack—crack—
Deathstroke took the attack full on. Countless cracks spread across his armor, rapidly covering his entire body.
In the next instant, his promethium alloy suit, once indestructible, shattered with a resounding crash.
Deathstroke fell to the ground, coughing up blood.
He wasn't dead, but he was close.
Countless tiny electric arcs surged through his body, endlessly ravaging him. No matter how much he tried to heal, it was futile.
For every inch that healed, the lightning tore it apart again, a ceaseless, endless cycle.
After that final strike, Mjolnir's fragments reassembled, once more taking the shape of a hammer.
Bruce no longer spared Deathstroke a glance. He raised his head, looking toward the Devourer's weapon high above.
By now, the Devourer's weapon had generated a powerful force field, pulling everything toward it and grinding it to dust.
The dust formed a ring around the weapon, orbiting it. There was no time left.
Bruce bent his knees and leapt high, his cape billowing, carrying him toward that massive, looming head.
Lightning coalesced into a river around him, its thunderous roar like the world's will refusing to surrender.
At that moment, the Devourer's weapon sensed an object of immense power approaching.
Its defense systems activated instantly.
The energy pulses it had been emitting consolidated into a single, massive torrent of energy, shooting toward Bruce, intent on obliterating him mid-air.
On the ground below, Wolverine clutched his self-healing wound and looked skyward, speechless.
The torrent of energy and the vast river of lightning were about to collide.
He had no words; he could only bear witness.
The fate of the world would be revealed in the next few seconds!
As the two forces met, the entire world fell silent.
Not a sound could be heard, for even the air itself had been annihilated in this clash, forming a vacuum.
And still, the battle raged on.
Bruce held Mjolnir tightly, summoning more lightning from the heavens, trying to break through the Devourer's energy torrent.
But it was nearly impossible.
He gritted his teeth, his arm trembling as his body verged on breaking apart.
Even though he'd given it everything, against this world-ending force, he was just one push short.
Just one push, only a tiny bit more!
Was he going to fail?
Bruce roared in defiance, willing to burn his last ounce of strength to repel the energy torrent!
He would not fall back!
And at that moment, it was as if the heavens answered his resolve.
Suddenly, Bruce felt a vast and unfamiliar energy pouring into him from behind.
This power far exceeded the limits of the Devourer's weapon.
Bruce turned to look and saw, amid the ocean of lightning, countless figures standing up, formed from pure electric light.
Among them were figures holding vibranium shields, others clad in iron armor, some resembling gods, and others wielding chaos itself...
The figures were endless, stretching to the horizon.
These were the spirits of heroes who had once defended this world, whose wills had not faded, now standing with Bruce.
Even in a universe mired in sin, justice could not be extinguished.
It was these heroes who now lent Bruce the strength to keep fighting.
One figure drew close to Bruce, and from his expression, Bruce recognized him as Professor X, a man he had met only once.
"I've always wanted to meet you again, and now I finally have the chance."
Professor X smiled, placing his hand on Bruce's shoulder, offering him a portion of his strength.
"Young man, we'll guard your back. You needn't worry about a thing."
Bruce understood in that moment that he had never been fighting alone.
From the instant he had chosen to save the world, the whole world had stood by his side!
Bruce turned forward once more, power surging within him like a limitless river.
In that instant, he was no longer merely Batman—or perhaps he was more than Batman!
"Ahhh!!!"
With Bruce's roar, the world-ending torrent was shattered completely.
His cape billowed, lightning roared, and Bruce, carrying the will of the entire world, charged toward the Devourer's weapon.
Was he a moth to a flame or a force mighty enough to hold the heavens aloft?
The souls of those heroes watched Bruce, waiting for the final outcome.
Professor X smiled, his gaze filled with boundless pride and trust.
"Fly forward boldly, little bat!"
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Posture and water check! Remember this is a fan translation!
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